UCL+

All applicants

1. Identify the degree programme at UCL you wish to study

All graduate research programmes offered at UCL are listed in the research degrees section.

2. Investigate research opportunities across UCL

UCL is a large, multi-faculty university and it may be that
your area of interest is represented in more than one department or in
one of our multidisciplinary institutes or centres. There are two main
types of research degree opportunities:

Studentships

Some funded PhD programmes will be advertised as
studentships. This is more common in Science, Technology, Engineering
and Medicine (STEM) areas. These opportunities may be listed on our studentships page,
although some academics prefer to only advertise them on their
websites. Each studentship will stipulate its own application process
and entrance requirements.

Studentships are also offered in UCL’s doctoral training centres. Many of these studentships are funded by the UK Government and are only available to UK/EU students.

Speculative opportunities

Most opportunities, and potential funding, are not packaged
as studentships or advertised. Exceptional students, that meet the
entrance requirements, are therefore encouraged to be proactive to
identify opportunities with UCL academics whose recent research closely
matches their interests.

There are three main ways to identify an appropriate supervisor to contact:

1. Browse research programmes to find centres of research in your area of interest. Click through to the department or centre website to find staff profiles.

3. Search our online research repository (UCL Discovery)
where all UCL’s research papers are published, subject to approvals. If
you identify a research paper that particularly interests you it is
likely that one of the authors would be a suitable research supervisor.

If an academic is very impressed with your research
experience and proposal they may be able to help you to identify sources
of funding, including from their own, or departmental, research funds.
There are also UCL scholarships that they can nominate you for.

3. Making a research enquiry

All prospective applicants, except those applying for
advertised studentships, are encouraged to send an informal research
enquiry. This should either be sent directly to the academic you are
interested in working with or the departmental contact.

Making a
research enquiry helps define your interests, contributes to making your
application successful, and also serves to ensure the identification of
the best possible supervisor for your needs.

You can find contact details for academic departments at the bottom of relevant programme pages. Alternatively you can find Graduate Tutor contact information under "Useful Contact Lists" in the Doctoral School's Essential Information Page.

For more information on how to contact potential supervisors and write a research proposal please see UCL's guidance document (PDF, 70KB).

4. Submit a formal application

Finally when you and your prospective supervisor are happy
with your research proposal, you should submit a formal application.

5. Await decision

You will be able to track the progress of your application via the UCL Applicant Portal (log in required). If you are required to submit anything further after your application has been submitted you will be notified by email and in the portal.

6. Pay tuition fee deposit (Paediatric Dentistry DDent only)

If you have applied to the Paediatric Dentistry DDent and your application is successful you will need to pay a tuition fee deposit.
The amount payable is dependent on the mode of study and fee
status.

International applicants

The UCL International Office can assist you with
any advice you may need about applying to and studying at UCL. Members
of staff regularly attend events overseas to provide information and
advice about UCL and you can find if we are visiting your part of the
world by visiting our website: www.ucl.ac.uk/international.

Country-specific information

Country-specific information is available on the same website;
select your home country from the map. These pages contain an
overview of entry requirements for each country as well as relevant
funding opportunities, student societies, in-country contacts and other
relevant information.

English language support

If your education has not been conducted in the English language, you will be expected to demonstrate evidence of an adequate level of English proficiency.

The UCL Centre for Languages & International Education
(CLIE) offers a range of approved English language courses, including
pre-sessional courses of varying length and a one-year Diploma. CLIE
also runs part-time in-sessional English language courses for students
enrolled at UCL. Courses available include the two-term in-sessional
English for Academic Purposes course as well as separate courses in
academic speaking, pronunciation, academic reading, or separate academic
writing skills courses for students on taught or research programmes.

Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS)

If you are an international student from outside the EEA
(European Economic Area) and Switzerland and are applying for a taught
programme in the fields of Biochemical Engineering, Chemical
Engineering, Physics or Mechanical Engineering, you will be required to
apply to the UK government for an Academic Technology Approval Scheme
clearance certificate. Further details of the scheme are available from
the ATAS website at www.fco.gov.uk/atas.

Visiting research students

Students currently enrolled on a PhD overseas can apply
to study at UCL as a visiting research student to conduct Research here
towards their PhD overseas. You can apply to spend 3 to 12 months at UCL
undertaking research which is complementary to the Doctoral/PhD project
at your 'home' university. See UCL International Students website for further details.

Disabled applicants

UCL is firmly committed to equality of opportunity and
applicants with disabilities or medical conditions are considered on the
same basis as all other applicants.

If you tell us about a disbaility on your application this
will help us ensure we can meet your needs and will prompt us to send
you more information about our services.

We are happy to arrange information visits to UCL so that
you can find out more about the physical environment and facilities or
discuss support arrangements with us in person. For details of our
'Visit UCL' scheme, please see www.ucl.ac.ac.uk/disability.

If you are a wheelchair user or are mobility-impaired it is
important to visit, if you can, before you apply as the design of some
of our older buildings may make access to some departments difficult.

If you would like to discuss your individual needs or have
questions about the support that might be available to you, please
contact us at any stage of the application process.